Stats

This was Kentucky’s home opener. UK is now 34-10-1 all-time in home openers at Kroger Field. UK is 11-1 in its last 12 home openers and 4-1 under Mark Stoops.

The Wildcats are 154-129-4 at Kroger Field all-time, including an 17-13 mark under Mark Stoops.

Kentucky leads the series against EKU 5-0.

The Wildcats hold an all-time record of 11-0 against teams in the current alignment of the OVC.

Kentucky will return to action Sat. Sept. 16 at South Carolina. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET and it will be televised on the SEC Network and broadcast on the UK Sports Radio Network.

Team Notes

This is the third time in the last four seasons that Kentucky has started the year 2-0. UK also started 2-0 in 2014 and 2015.

The win moved Kentucky to a 9-4 record over the last 13 games.

The last time UK had a 9-3 record over a span of 12 regular-season games was Nov. 4, 2006 – Oct. 20, 2007.

UK is now 13-6 in non-conference games under Coach Mark Stoops.

UK is 17-1 under Stoops when leading after three quarters.

Kentucky has won 34 of its past 35 games when staked to a lead at the end of the third quarter, dating back to 2008.

EKU’s touchdown at 6:22 in the first quarter marked the first time all season the Wildcats had trailed.

The Wildcats would regain the lead with 2:57 to go in the third quarter and never look back.

Kentucky outgained EKU offensively 436-318, including 207-62 on the ground.

The Colonels outgained Kentucky through the air, 256-229.

The Wildcats won the turnover battle against EKU, 2-0. UK forced and recovered a fumble and had one interception.

It was the first time in 23 games that UK did not have a turnover, dating back to the 2015 win over Missouri.

UK has won the turnover battle in both games this season with a +4 turnover margin.

Trailing 16-10 midway through the third quarter, the Wildcats scored 17 unanswered points to take control of the game.

Two Wildcats earned their first career starts in the game in sophomore linebacker Eli Brown and redshirt freshman defensive back Davonte Robinson.

Kentucky has had a 100-yard rusher in six of its last eight home openers.

This is the seventh time under Mark Stoops that UK has won a game after trailing by at least 10 points. That is the second most wins under any coach in program history. UK had eight such wins under Rich Brooks.

Four of UK’s last six wins it has come from behind by at least 10 points.

Kentucky has at least 200 rushing yards in six of its last seven home games.

Kentucky has a rushing touchdown in each of its last 14 home games.

UK has allowed less than 100 rushing yards in consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 2008.

The Wildcats have allowed 17 points or less in consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 19, and Sept. 26, 2015.

Kentucky has allowed 17 points or less in the first two games of a season for the first time since 2014.

QB Stephen Johnson finished the game 15-for-22 with 224 yards and one touchdown through the air. He also rushed six times for 48 yards and one touchdown, including a 21-yard touchdown rush.

Johnson’s touchdown through the air was a 23-yard strike to C.J. Conrad.

Today was Johnson’s eighth win as the starting quarterback since taking over the role in the fourth game of the 2016 season. UK is 10-4 with Johnson as primary QB, including 8-4 as the starter and 2-0 as the team’s primary QB in a relief role.

Johnson has thrown or rushed for a touchdown in six straight games.

This was Johnson’s fifth career game with a rushing touchdown.

Johnson is the third UK quarterback since 1993 to win seven of his first career 10 regular-season starts. The other two players were Mike Hartline and Morgan Newton.

He is the first UK quarterback with a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown in three consecutive games since Jared Lorenzen on Sept. 23, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 in 2000.

Since 1985, Johnson is the first UK quarterback with a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown in each of the team’s first two games.

This was Johnson’s third career game with at least 224 passing yards and at least 48 rushing yards.

RB Benny Snell rushed a game-high 19 times for a game-high 103 yards.

Snell scored his first touchdown of the season with a 25-yard rush in the third quarter to give UK the lead.

Snell in the second half was incredible, rushing 16 times for 100 yards and a touchdown after just three carries for three yards in the first half.

Snell now has 1,261 career rushing yards which ranks him 28th all-time in program history.

Today was his sixth career 100-yard rushing game.

Snell is the second Kentucky player with 100 yards rushing against EKU. The other was Rafael Little, who had 135 rushing yards against EKU in 2007.

Snell has a rushing TD in six of UK’s last seven home games.

Snell has at least 100 rushing yards in the last four home games and in five of the last seven home games.

TE C.J. Conrad caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Conrad has caught a touchdown pass in each of UK’s first two games this season and has caught a touchdown pass in three of his last five games.

The junior now has seven career touchdown catches.

Conrad is leading the Wildcats in receiving with five receptions for 125 yards this season. He is also averaging 62.5 yards per reception.

Conrad is the first UK player with a receiving TD in each of the first two games of the season since La’Rod King in 2012.

Conrad is the first UK tight end with a receiving touchdown in consecutive games since Jacob Tamme on Nov. 24 and Dec. 31, 2007.

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